fleet were directing their course for Lilibaeum:
his obvious plan was to engage this fleet before it could join that of the
quaestors; he therefore steered his course to meet them. But the consul was
equally averse with the quaestors to hazard the supply of the army by a
battle, and he, therefore, also took shelter near some rocks. The
Carthaginian admiral was afraid to attack him in this position, but
resolved to watch him: while thus employed his pilots observed certain
indications of an approaching storm, which induced him to take shelter on
the other side of Cape Pachynum. He had scarcely doubled the cape, when the
storm arose with such violence that the whole Roman fleet was destroyed.
According to Polybius, not one vessel, not even a plank, was saved out of a
fleet which consisted of 120 galleys and 800 transports.

Two such losses occurring during the same consulate, induced the Romans
again to resolve to desist from all naval enterprizes and preparations, so
that for some time no public fleet was equipped. This resolution, however,
yielded to the conviction that they could not hope even to retain their
possessions in Sicily, or even to secure their commerce on the coasts of
Italy, if they did not endeavour to cope with the Carthaginians by sea. But
as the senate thought it would appear derogatory to their dignity and
consistency to equip a public fleet, after they had a second time resolved
solemnly and officially not to do so, they passed a decree, by which all
the Roman citizens who were able and so disposed, were permitted to build,
equip, and arm vessels at their own expence; with these ships they were
directed to land on the coast of Africa, for the purpose of pillage, the
fruit of which was to be their own private gain. The senate even went
further to evade, by a pitiful subterfuge their own decree, for they lent
the few ships which still remained to the republic, to private citizens, on
condition that they should keep them in repair, and make them good if they
were lost. By these measures a very considerable fleet was equipped, which
committed great depredations on the coast of Africa. Emboldened by their
predatory warfare, they resolved to attempt a more arduous enterprize. One
of the most celebrated of the Carthaginian harbours was that of Hippo;
besides the port there was a citadel, and large arsenals for naval stores,
&c. As the inhabitants were much engaged in commerce, there were in the
town always a